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Heathrow airport was worst hit with more than a quarter of 1,300 daily flights cancelled, with 417 services scrapped by 6pm. At its worst Heathrow was forced to operate using only on of its two runways while snow was cleared for an hour.

Southampton airport was particularly badly hit with flights cancelled throughout the day, while Bristol and Cardiff airports were brought to a standstill during the morning.

Rail services also struggled because of the snow. Nearly a quarter of trains were either late or cancelled, compared with just under one in 10 on a normal day.

Eurostar cancelled four trains yesterday, two in and outbound morning services to Brussels. Services.

Meanwhile roads were treacherous, especially in the West Country and Wales. Conditions were particularly bad on sections of the M4 in South Wales, while tailbacks were reported in Cardiff and Newport.

Breakdown services said motorists appeared to have heeded warnings to stay off the roads, with Green Flag saying that their patrols were dealing with fewer calls than Thursday, when they were running 50 per cent ahead of normal.

19.23 If anyone's worried about to wear during these chilly times, take inspiration from our snow chicgallery. Here's Julie Andrews showing us how it's done:

(Picture: REX)

19.05 This video of people struggling to stay on their feet as they negotiate an icy stretch of pavement in Duke Street, Norwich, has become a viral hit:

Paul Carver captured dozens of slips and falls as he watched unsuspecting passers by try to negotiate the slippery pavement.

His video, "Duke Street Hazard", is more than eight minutes long and has been watched over 50,000 times on YouTube.

A93 closed in both directions between the B951 junction in Spittal Of Glenshee and the School Road junction in Braemar, because of snow

A1 Tyne and Wear - Hazardous Driving Conditions

A93 closed in both directions between the Hatton Road junction in Blairgowrie and the B951 junction in Lair, because of snow

A54 Buxton is closed. HDC btwn A537 junction and Bosley Crossroads

M48 Severn Bridge is closed

A515 Derbyshire has hazardous driving conditions - expect delays

A628 Woodhead Pass is blocked. A57 Snake Pass has hazardous driving conditions but still open

A537 Cat And Fiddle Road closed and hazardous driving conditions between the Bull-Hill-Lane junc in Macclesfield and the A54 junc in Buxton

18.32 Children might be hoping for an exciting weekend of sledging and snowball fights, but it looks as though parents have other ideas.

Nearly a third of parents believe it is "too dangerous" to let their children play outside in the snow, in case they slip on ice or get hit by a snowball, according to a survey by Chessington World of Adventures Resort.

That is despite many parents admitting they "enjoyed" playing outside when they were younger.

One in five protective mums and dads, 20 per cent, will try to stop their youngsters falling ill by keeping them wrapped up warm indoors.

18.30 Further airport update:Birmingham airport has reopened.

18.14 Amongst all the chaos the wintry weather has caused, there has been some good news. Police have been able to use footprints left in the snow to track two crime suspects.

West Midlands police said fresh tracks in the snow led officers to a teenager, who was taken into custody just four minutes after an initial report of disorder at around 11.10pm last night.

Meanwhile, police in Rubery, North Worcestershire, also arrested a man after following footprints in the snow.

Following the arrest, Superintendent Kevin Purcell, of West Mercia Police, tweeted: ''It's not all bad! Suspect arrested as a result of footprints in snow from scene of vehicle interference leading to him!!!.

18.00 It was hoped East Midlands airport would be up and running again by 18.00 this evening but it's been announced their runway will be closed until 19.15.

17.30 A reader, David Miller, emails, pleading for authorities to keep the airport open:

I left England 23 days ago, fed up with rain, encountered heat-wave in Australia and bush fires all over the place, it’s been pleasant for the last few days in Hong Kong (don’t you just hate shopping when it’s hot?). Please ensure Heathrow is open on Sunday morning and that the M25 and M1 are running smoothly. Many thanks for your co-operation.

David M

17.25 Police are battling terrible conditions in many parts and some have appealed for kindness from the public.

&lt;noframe&gt;Twitter: PCSO 8196 Beckett - &lt;a href="http://www.twitter.com/UKSnowUpdates" target="_blank"&gt;@UKSnowUpdates&lt;/a&gt; Thank you, we are all battling the elements tonight. If you see a snow covered officer out on the street offer him tea.&lt;/noframe&gt;

A deer sits in the snow in Richmond Park, London (Picture: REUTERS

17.20 A gritter ended up in a ditch in North Devon. The gritter, with a snow plough attached, came off a road between Blackmoor Gate and Combe Martin, North Devon, and toppled in a ditch on a road affected by snow drifts. The driver was unhurt.

Although some further slight snowfalls are likely, with 1cm to 2cm of fresh snow in a few places, the focus switches to ice, with temperatures staying below zero over snow cover for many areas. The public should be aware of the risk of localised disruption to transport during this spell of wintry weather."

17.10 Heathrow has confirmed that 369 flights were cancelled today.

17.05 A man found dead in an icy street died from natural causes, police said.

Graham Clark was discovered with serious head injuries in the village of Buxhall in Suffolk on Tuesday afternoon. It was initially thought he could have been the victim of a hit and run but it has since emerged that he may have fallen while clearing snow from his driveway and then hit his head.

Paramedics tried to save Mr Clark, 73, but he died at the scene in Brettenham Road.

A spokesman for Suffolk Police said:

A post-mortem examination held today found that Mr Clark's death was as a result of natural causes. As a result there will be no further police inquiries."

Hundreds of families could be due an insurance payout after schools and nurseries closed for the snow. A spokesman for insurers Towergate said that parents who had taken out school closure insurance were expected to claim £100 a day if day nurseries or schools closed because of the snow. Although the first day of closure is not covered, if the snow persists into next week, families could receive as much as £500 a child. Parents who take out the insurance, for a £30 premium per child, will receive £100 for every day that the school is closed – whether it is because of floods, bad weather or heating failure. However, you can only start claiming 14 days after you buy the insurance.

Whenever it snows I think back to my childhood. Hours spent in the freezing cold with my fingers tinkling as we built snowmen or had snowball fights. Those were the days when memories were made that would last a lifetime.

Waking up this morning my two kids were so excited and opened the curtains to whoops of joy. Around 10cm of snow fell overnight and it’s been snowing continuously, sometimes vertically, since first light.

When we ventured out in to the garden and beyond two things stood out. The sheer joy of the kids as they played in the snow and their cheeks gradually went red. And the total silence. The background noise of daily life changed as cars remained glued to the spot that they were parked in. Lone birds flew around in search of shelter or food and a flock of starlings battled against the biting wind.

16.20 A hillwalker who got lost on one of Scotland's highest mountains in severe weather sparking a major search and rescue operation has been found safe and well. The woman became separated from her group on Cairn Toul in the Cairngorms at 12.45pm. Grampian Police and Braemar Mountain Rescue worked in partnership with the RAF to locate the woman, who is believed to be uninjured.

16.10 The Severn Bridge has been closed because of snow, reports have suggested with drivers diverted to the M4's second crossing.

16.05 Southeastern trains has warned of travel chaos tonight after its rail services were suspended from Victoria, one of London's busiest stations.

A spokesman said:

The wintry weather is disrupting our services - please consider planning your journey home early as you will need to allow additional time.

No trains are going to or from Victoria until further notice, please use Charing Cross, Cannon St, London Bridge and St Pancras as alternatives."

16.00 Further to our report at 15.45, PA have filed this.

A mountain rescue operation has been launched to find a hillwalker missing in severe weather. The walker became separated from their group at Cairn Toul mountain in the Cairngorms at around 12.45pm.

Grampian Police and Braemar Mountain Rescue have been scrambled to the scene and are working with the RAF.

A police spokesman said:

The individual was with a group but the severe weather conditions resulted in the walker becoming separated from their party at around 12:45pm today.

"Emergency services were then contacted and a full-scale mountain rescue search is currently under way."

People on social media have condemned the walker for going out in such conditions.

15.50 It has now stopped snowing at Gatwick, authorities report but warned of continued disruption.

&lt;noframe&gt;Twitter: Gatwick Airport LGW - It has now stopped snowing at Gatwick. There may be some minor disruption due to the weather across Europe.&lt;/noframe&gt;

15.45 A police search is underway in the Cairngorms for a missing climber, Sky News is reporting.

15.40 Major delays continue to be reported on the London underground system. On the Tube, there were severe delays on the Metropolitan line between Harrow-on-the-Hill in north west London and Aldgate in the City of London. There was no service anti-clockwise on the Circle line due to an earlier faulty train at South Kensington in west London.

15.35 Officials at Luton airport have joked online about the "madness" throughout the area, which has provoked quite the interaction with Tesco.

&lt;noframe&gt;Twitter: UK Snow Updates - The ladies and gentlemen at &lt;a href="http://www.twitter.com/LDNLutonAirport" target="_blank"&gt;@LDNLutonAirport&lt;/a&gt; are doing a fantastic job at keeping the airport open - and they have a great sense of humour!&lt;/noframe&gt;

15.30 Some motorists who braved the conditions have disclosed the toll it took on them.

The snowfall could take weeks to thaw, forecasters said as millions of commuters faced being delayed or even stranded tonight in the travel chaos. Up to six inches of snow fell in just two hours in some parts of the country as most of the UK was blanketed in white.

In south Wales, where the Met Office issued a rare “red warning” of 30mph winds and a foot of snow, 10,000 households were left without power this morning and 5,000 homes still had not been fixed this afternoon. Half of those remain in the worst hit west of Wales where heavy snow on the road network is slowing down repair operations.

The possibility of further incidents is high as low temperatures are set to continue through the weekend. Hospitals are preparing for a spike in admissions this weekend as high numbers of people are injured in falls on icy ground.

15.10 Motorists appear to have heeded warnings from authorities to only travel if necessary.

Green Flag and the AA reported a lower-than-normal number of morning breakdowns, with many people staying at home this morning. But as the snow reached the Home Counties, the number of calls for assistance increased.

By 2pm, the AA said it had dealt with about 6,800 breakdowns - or around 900 an hour. The busiest areas were the south coast, parts of south west England, the Midlands and London.

By the end of the day, the AA expected to attend around 11,000 call-outs, compared with around 9,500 on an average Friday.

Telegraph reader David Holmes took this picture of the A48 at Lydney, Gloucestershire (Picture: David Holmes)

Darron Burness, the AA's head of special operations, said:

After such a busy week, today's been a 'snow day' for millions with far fewer breakdowns. However, there's been a big impact on the roads as the snow fell so heavily with traffic crawling on many routes and we've had reports of journeys taking three or four times longer than usual.

"With the snow compacting down and turning icy, we're likely to see treacherous driving conditions this evening and throughout the weekend. Any fresh snow on top will just add to the problems. "Many employers have adopted a flexible approach to allow staff to leave early but our patrols are still experiencing severe congestion in several urban areas.

"Regardless of how far you're travelling, check the Met Office weather and travel updates before departing and make sure you're prepared for any eventuality."

People walk past one of the figures of Anthony Gormley's Another Place, covered in snow, on Crosby Beach, Merseyside (Picture: PA)

Miranda Schunke, from Green Flag added:

Drivers across the country appear to be heeding warnings and keeping off the roads, as our call out volumes have fallen considerably from a peak on Thursday when they were 50 per cent ahead of usual levels.

However some areas continue to see motorists badly affected, with Green Flag witnessing a significant number of call outs for breakdown support in South Wales, along with Essex and Norfolk."

15.00 Authorities have also reported chaos up north, says David Millward, our transport editor. Two out of three trains in Manchester and Birmingham have been cancelled.

The extreme conditions have forced authorities to remove peak restrictions to enable people to travel on any train, rather than be stranded.

&lt;noframe&gt;Twitter: RAC Breakdown - In current conditions, pls take essentials even if travelling only short distance: Blanket, phone &amp;amp; a little food would all help.&lt;/noframe&gt;

The advice comes after some motorists appear to have driven dangerously.

&lt;noframe&gt;Twitter: Phil Mather - People who drive with a ton of snow on their rooves: you are a danger to everyone around you. Clear it before doing 80 on the motorway!&lt;/noframe&gt;

14.40 Western Power saysthe number of customers without electricity had dropped to 5,000 from this morning.

Half of those remain in the worst hit west of Wales where heavy snow on the road network is slowing down repair operations.

A Western Power Distribution spokeswoman said:

We currently have 5,000 customers off supply and are dealing with 70 incidents on our high voltage network, normally we would expect six in 24 hours. Over half of these incidents and over 3,000 of these customers are in West Wales. The road network is really badly affected and even with 4X4s we are unable to gain access to many locations.

"We have additional crews attempting to travel in from Brecon and helicopters on standby to move staff into the area when it stops snowing. The snow is forecast to stop by about 2pm but there is currently no sign of this happening and incidents of new faults rate remains high."

Staff will continue to work around the clock over the weekend.

14.35 Shortly before 2pm Heathrow was able to announce that both its runways were open. But management at the west London airport added that restrictions on the flow rate of aircraft had been imposed by air traffic control company Nats due to low visibility.

Passengers arriving have told of their shock upon their arrival in Britain.

&lt;noframe&gt;Twitter: Danny Singh - Just landed in England ð&amp;Yuml;&amp;Dagger;¬ð&amp;Yuml;&amp;Dagger;§ never felt this cold in my life &lt;a href="http://search.twitter.com/search?q=Heathrow" target="_blank"&gt;#Heathrow&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/noframe&gt;

14.30 Sheep farmers are being urged to ensure their animals are properly fed during the current sub-zero weather and beyond.

Animal experts issued menu of advice designed to make sure sheep flocks are well enough fed to survive blizzard conditions.

Dewi Hughes, project executive at Hybu Cig Cymru, Meat Promotion Wales, warned today that sheep farmers could be in for a tough time.

As a result he is giving out precise advice about the dietary needs of individual sheep isolated and struggling in snow covered fields, according to the Press Association.

He said:

"Snow is a cause of concern for sheep farmers in Wales, particularly if it turns out to last more than a few days. With forecasters predicting up to 25cm of snow on Welsh hills this weekend, coupled with blizzard conditions, sheep farmers could be in for a tough time. A correctly managed maintenance diet is all that's needed to help keep sheep in good condition during periods of heavy snowfall."

14.25 Transport for London have urged motorists to take care on the snow as conditions turn treacherous.

&lt;noframe&gt;Twitter: TfL Traffic News - The roads continue to be gritted across London, but please still take extra care whilst driving in the snow and ice.&lt;/noframe&gt;

14.20 Colleague Wes Johnson, send us his view from a Virgin Train on the west coast main line near Stoke.

"Passengers were told trains have been limited to 100mph, instead of the usual 125mph, to stop ice flying up and smashing the windows.

&lt;noframe&gt;Twitter: Niklas Joelsson - Knew it... flight delayed for more than four hours due to 1 cm of snow in London! Nice day off at &lt;a href="http://search.twitter.com/search?q=Heathrow" target="_blank"&gt;#Heathrow&lt;/a&gt; haha... &lt;a href="http://t.co/mjt8tOgf" target="_blank"&gt;http://t.co/mjt8tOgf&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/noframe&gt;

&lt;noframe&gt;Twitter: Katie Bartram - Snow day for the kids, nightmare collecting them from school! Lets stay in and stay warm ;)&lt;/noframe&gt;

&lt;noframe&gt;Twitter: Andrew Marr - Stuck at East Croyden as trains canceled to Gatwick, &lt;a href="http://search.twitter.com/search?q=snowday" target="_blank"&gt;#snowday&lt;/a&gt;. England can't cope with snow. Canada must be laughing at us &lt;a href="http://search.twitter.com/search?q=jokes" target="_blank"&gt;#jokes&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/noframe&gt;

14.05: Economists say the snow could not have come at a worse time and will also hit an already under siege high street:

Howard Archer, the chief UK and European Economist at IHS Global Insight, writes:

Given the UK’s ability to grind to a halt with even a flake, the snow has come at a very brittle time for the UK economy, adding to the headwinds that it is already battling against as it tries to avoid a triple-dip recession. Obviously the longer that the snow and freezing conditions last, the greater will be the disruption to economic activity and the bigger the risk that the first quarter of 2013 will see contraction in GDP following a likely renewed modest dip in the fourth quarter of 2012.

With the economy in a fragile state, even relatively limited disruption from snow and freezing conditions could very well be enough to tip the balance towards modest GDP contraction rather than modest growth in the first quarter of this year.

Clearly, the longer that the snow and ice lasts, the greater will be the negative impact on the economy. Worryingly for retailers the snow will highly likely be particularly disruptive on Saturday, which of course is a crucial shopping day.

Telegraph reader Keith Laverack sent us this photo of snow on the Yorkshire Wolds, near Kirby Underdale. (Picture: Keith Laverack)

14.00: According to a poll by ComRes for ITV News only one in four people believe their local authority is well prepared “in its ability to handle severe cold weather, icy conditions and heavy snow”.

The survey also suggests the majority of people are not prepared for the severe cold weather.

Nearly two in three people admit they have made no preparations for such conditions, such as buying road salt, snow-chains for my car or additional supplies of food or drink.

The public has little sympathy for those who run public transport services that are affected by snow and icy conditions.

The overwhelming majority said the operation of trains, buses and airports was “too often” disrupted by snow and icy conditions. More than nine in 10 believe authorities should be better prepared by now for snow and icy conditions.

Stephen Downer emailed in this photo of houseboats moored on the River Thames near Chiswick (Picture: Stephen Downer)

13.55: Conditions are also bleak at Heathrow, which has recorded the heaviest snow for some time, as well as the rail network reports our transport editor David Millward.

Officials say the airport flow rate is slowing to a crawl with only six flights and out an hour, compared with the normal 42.

Having closed and then reopened its north runway, Heathrow closed the south runway just before 12.30pm to clear ice and snow. It was due to open again in the early afternoon.

Shortly after 1.30pm, the west London airport reported that 240 flights had been cancelled - mostly short-haul ones Southampton airport said there would be no flights before 5pm at the earliest.

Bristol airport said its runway was clear and flights were departing. But it warned passengers to expect delays and cancellations.

The rail network is also braced for nightmare journeys during rush hour tonight. According to the latest estimates more than one in five trains are running late or have been cancelled.

With the snow continuing to fall, train passengers in central London faced delays of up to 60 minutes to services through Blackfriars station. This was due to a broken-down train.

A Network Rail spokesman said:

We will do our best to get people home. It depends where the snow is, if you look at a map you can assume where it is white is where the biggest problems are.

13.50 Conditions seem to be worsening on transport systems, as commuters report gridlock in many areas. The Highways Agency is warning drivers to take extra care, while the RAC says reaching stranded motorists was now a "real challenge".

&lt;noframe&gt;Twitter: Tracey Walton - All the schools closing in &lt;a href="http://search.twitter.com/search?q=Enfield" target="_blank"&gt;#Enfield&lt;/a&gt; at the same time in the middle of a blizzard. The roads are now treacherous and gridlocked! &lt;a href="http://search.twitter.com/search?q=UKsnow" target="_blank"&gt;#UKsnow&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/noframe&gt;

13.45 There are more than 1600 tweets per minute are being recorded on Twitter at present, according to figures published by MSN.

Kirsty Ennew sent in this view down Earlham Road in Norwich, Norfolk (Picture: Kirsty Ennew)

13.40 The onslaught of freezing weather and snow in Britain has prompted bookmakers to slash the odds on temperatures falling to record lows.

It has taken a flurry of bets that the mercury will plummet -27.2C, shortening cutting odds from 10/1 to 6/1. Betting agencies were also offering odds of 100/1 that Big Ben fails to chime as a result of the freezing weather and 500/1 that The Thames becomes frozen solid between London Bridge and Tower Bridge.

Simon Clare, from Coral, said:

"The British weather seems to get more volatile and extreme every year and it is surely not beyond the realm of possibility that a new record low temperature could be set in 2013.

13.35 Seems the cold weather has brought about some other side-affects, according to Lucy Verasamy [@LucyWeather], one of ITV's weather presenters:

13.30 The worsening conditions has forced London Overground trains to not stop at stations between Watford Junction and Harrow & Wealdstone. There were also train delays reported between London and Bicester North, while a signalling problem led to delays to all services through Edinburgh. A broken-down train meant that no trains were able to run between Upminster and Romford in Essex.

13.25 The northern runway at Heathrow reopened shortly before midday, but the southern runway was expected to be closed later for clearance work to go on there. By late morning, more than 170 flights - mainly short-haul ones - had been cancelled at Heathrow.

At Gatwick, the single runway remained open and the only cancelled flights at the West Sussex airport today were ones to and from the Channel Islands.

@Lekozza tweeted this picture of snowflakes falling in Eastington, Gloucestershire. If you have a photograph you'd like us to consider for a picture gallery, please email it to mypic@telegraph.co.uk, supplying a little info on where and when the picture was taken.

13.20 According to the Local Government Association, councils have used 1.3 million tonnes of salt to grit roads in preparation for the bad weather, nearly twice the 700,000 tonnes used last winter, along with new gritters ploughs, tractors, and snow-blowers.

There will also be live updates posted on Facebook and Twitter providing information on weather conditions, gritting activity and council services.

Cllr Peter Box, chair of the LGA's Economy and Transport Board, said council are "well prepared" to keep main roads safe and traffic moving as temperatures dip.

13.15 Hospitals are preparing for a spike in admissions this weekend as high numbers of people are injured in falls on icy ground.

The NHS has urged elderly people to stock up on supplies ahead of the snow and to avoid trips to the shops during the worst of the weather, PA reports.

The cold conditions have already heaped pressure on emergency services which are forced to contend with increasing numbers of respiratory problems, heart attacks and strokes when temperatures drop.

Mike Cheshire, medical director of NHS North West, said people with underlying health problems were particularly vulnerable to wintry conditions.

He said:

We need older people and those who have long-term conditions to make sure they keep taking their medication and have sufficient supplies so that they don't need to go out for more during the cold spell.

"We also need everyone to help our A&E and 999 teams by only using them for life-threatening and urgent conditions, such as heart attacks, strokes, breathing problems and serious accidents"

"We need people to prepare for this new cold spell. Not only will they be protecting their own safety, welfare and health, they will be helping services to deal with local emergencies."

13.10 Colleague Damien McElroy sums up the thoughts of many after his flight to Belfast was cancelled.

13.05 Local Government and Communities Minister, Carl Sargeant, is advising the public to take extra care driving over the next few days as travel disruption continues across swathes of the south.

He said:

I would urge people to consider if they really do need to make that trip and where possible avoid non-essential journeys

"Both the Welsh Government and local authorities will be working around the clock to coordinate the routing and operation of our snowplough and gritters so they can get to where they are needed. Despite having sufficient salt stock supplies I would advise the public to take note of traffic updates and access the Traffic Wales website for the latest up-to-the minute traffic information.

"I would also ask people to consider if family members or neighbours in their community need help? Have their phone numbers to hand and stop by to offer help with grocery shopping or other essential tasks - it can make a real difference."

Traffic makes its way through the snow near Worcester (Picture: PA)

13.00 Dyfed-Powys Police has urged the public to use the 999 emergency system responsibly and advised drivers to take sensible precautions before setting out.

A force spokesman said:

Police officers throughout Dyfed-Powys have been going the extra mile to protect residents and 4x4 vehicles are available in areas that have been worst hit by the weather, to enable officers to respond to emergency calls.

"With the severe weather conditions set to continue for the rest of the day and freezing temperatures to remain over the weekend, police are asking the public to use the 999 system responsibly and only in cases of real emergencies - and for all non-emergency matters call 101. Officers will be on patrol in town centres."

The sun rises over Castle Howard, the stately home made famous in Brideshead Revisited. The lake in front of the house in North Yorkshire is now almost completely frozen. (Picture: PA)

Chief Superintendent Huw Rees added:

I would also like to remind people of the need to take sensible precautions in heavy snow and not to place themselves at risk unnecessarily. We advise people to keep an eye on the weather forecast for their area and only travel when necessary. We have measures in place to respond to emergencies and are working closely with our partner agencies to reach the people that need us most."

He said that crisis talks with "all public agencies in Dyfed Powys" met this morning and reported that "all essential services are running throughout the four counties".

He added:

There are some changes in non-urgent services and residents are encouraged to visit the agencies' websites for full details. The snow is forecast to clear from the west throughout the day, but snow will continue to fall in Powys.

Overnight is expected to be dry, and temperatures are likely to plummet. The snow that has fallen will take time to clear as temperatures over the next few days will remain very low, particularly through the night."

12.50 Staff at another Bristol zoo, Noah's Ark Zoo Farm, also managed to fight through blizzard conditions to attend to their animals. But it was the head keeper's wife who was really in need of the zoo's 4x4 when she went into labour.

Chris Wilkinson, 27, and his wife, Clare, live in a remote cottage on site at the zoo to be close to the animals day and night.

This morning, Mr Wilkinson, who has worked at the zoo since he was 14, dug the 4x4 truck out of the snow to take her to hospital.

Staff are now eagerly waiting for news of the birth and have created a massive snowman family - complete with a little snow child - at the zoo's entrance as a good luck message for their head keeper.

Mr and Mrs Wilkinson's baby was due last Thursday and a zoo spokesman said it has been a waiting game for labour to begin and a stressful time in the cold conditions.

Staff will later be using their snowman-building skills to create giant snow figures for the zoo's rhino and tigers as fun enrichment.

We moved a number of our 4x4 patrols to help people stuck in the snow in West Wales and parts of Wiltshire, South Gloucestershire and Hampshire

"In order to deal with an expected increase in calls for assistance later in the day, we have also put every technically qualified engineer normally based in the office back out on the road again in patrol vehicles."

The RAC expects to be particularly busy in East Anglia. Yesterday it attended around 3,000 more call-outs than usual.

12.40 Bristol Crown Court was closed today because of the adverse weather.

Sorry but due to the weather it has been necessary to close this court."

Not enough court staff could get to the building in Small Street, so the decision was taken not to open for the day's cases.

A mother and her children make thier way through the snow near Worcester (Picture: PA)

12.35 South Wales Police said that despite today's difficult working conditions it was "business as usual" in the force.

Assistant Chief Constable Matt Jukes said:

The heavy snowfall overnight has proved challenging for the force, but we are extremely proud of the commitment and dedication of our staff who have gone to extra lengths to ensure it remains business as usual for South Wales Police.

Our priority is to provide a 24/7 emergency service to the public of South Wales and we are working hard to meet the additional demands placed upon us. As a force we are prepared for the possibility of further bad weather next week and are working closely with other emergency services and partners to ensure the safety of our communities."

He also advised anyone needing to travel to keep to main roads and factor in extra time for journeys.

Members of the public travelling today should check the Traffic Wales website for updates on their route before leaving home. Those who are travelling should allow extra time, make use of main roads and avoid less used routes. Motorists should allow extra time for their journey and ensure they keep an appropriate distance between them and the vehicle ahead."

12.30 Our former newdesk colleague, Duncan Hooper [@DuncanHooperMSN] now MSN's UK news and sport managing editor, laments the snow and the work it will give him today.

&lt;noframe&gt;Twitter: Duncan Hooper - In my household the ones who are most excited about the snow are the ones who will actually do the least work building the snowman&lt;/noframe&gt;

12.25 My colleague Andrew Hough will be taking over this lunchtime. Signing off.

12.18 Lib Dem MP Tom Brake is so concerned for his constituents in Sutton that he has tweeted a snow picture containing... two pictures of his own face. Thanks to my colleague Thomas Pascoe for this highlight.

12.14 Now some news from a real expert. Tomasz Schafernaker, meteorologist and TV presenter, is informing us that the snow front is "very slow moving". These blizzards could be here for some time.

&lt;noframe&gt;Twitter: Tomasz Schafernaker - This 'snow front' is very slow moving indeed. Will last for a long time for much of S1/2 Eng and Wal.&lt;/noframe&gt;

12.10 In a disturbing turn of events as conditions worsen on the A50 to Stoke-on-Trent, reader Simon Hughes sends us this image. May the force be with you this lunchtime.

12.00 Reports that A-level students are unable to sit their exams due to the snow shutting schools are now coming in. Are you affected? Email us with your stories.

11.49 In Bath, one of the cities worst affected by the snow, managers of the Royal United Hospital are asking patients and visitors not to travel to visit sick friends and relatives unless absolutely necessary in a sign of the treacherous road conditions there.

Chief operating officer Francesca Thompson said:

Most of the hospital outpatient clinics are running this morning, but we are asking patients and visitors not to put themselves at risk by travelling to the hospital, unless it's absolutely necessary.

If anyone has been trying to contact the hospital today and they've not been successful in getting through, please don't worry - it's because we are experiencing a high number of calls.

11.41 Traffic update. Hazardous driving conditions are being reported on sections of the M4 in South Wales and on the M48 near Chepstow with traffic tailbacks into Cardiff and Newport. Roads have had to close in Rhondda and Treorchy.

In Devon a section of the A35 is closed in Honiton while snow has also caused a section of the same road to shut in Dorchester in Dorset.

On the A30 at Okehampton in Devon one lane is closed due to an accident and snow, while hazardous road conditions were reported in the Bristol area.

Finally, in the North-East of England there are hazardous driving conditions on the A1 around Alnwick because of ice and snow.

11.29 Not everyone is suffering from snowmaggedon this morning. Live blog enthusiast Peter Hindley sends this image of a serene and sunny lanscape from his home in Gairloch, on the north-west coast of Scotland. The temperature there is a balmy 35.6 F (2 C).

11.25 Bus services in Bristol and Bath have been suspended, with a number of roads blocked and driving conditions treacherous, PA reports. Stay safe.

11.15 Cold weather can kill, and for those sleeping rough the snowfall today is a life-or-death situation, not a mere inconvenience. Homeless charity St Mungo's has opened an emergency shelter in the freezing weather, in partnership with Mayor of London Boris Johnson.

The shelter offers an emergency bed, a hot shower, clean clothes, and hot food whilst St Mungo's works to find, where possible, more permanent accommodation or move on options for people accessing the service.

11.10 Our update from reporter Hayley Dixon on airports and 2000+ school closures:

Cardiff, Bristol and Southampton Airports in the South West were closed and Heathrow closed one of its runways as other airports reported disruption. British Airways cancelled more than 60 of its flights.

More than 400 schools in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight, 300 in Norfolk, 300 in Gloucestershire, and 1,100 schools in Wales have been closed.

10.54 It has been snowing for approximately two hours in London, and so as night follows day Heathrow has shut its northern runway, Sky reports.

10.46 And at least you're not this poor police officer, guarding 10 Downing Street today as a very tall man walks past you and inside into the warmth, leaving you freezing on the doorstep. And if you are that officer, do email us and tell us how it's going.

10.32 If you're snowed in, why not stick the kettle on and browse the finest pictures from our readers this morning?

Our latest gallery has the best snapshots of Britain under snow siege this morning. This image of icicles hanging from trees is particularly beautiful, from Telegraph reader and UK snow blog fan Julian Dugnall in Buckinghamshire.

10.20 And it's not just the snow-covered streets where people are having problems. Archie Bland of the Independent describes the Northern Line of the London Underground as suffering "intricate and dull" calamities, which are not thought to be weather-related but which are adding to delays of those on reduced services from overground lines.

The Victoria Line is also suffeirng "severe delays" for bedraggled commuters arriving into Victoria station.

&lt;noframe&gt;Twitter: Archie Bland - Absolutely my all time worst day for public transport. Left my flat an hour and a half ago. Now leaving it again in a taxi.&lt;/noframe&gt;

BBC newsreader Jane Hill isn't happy with Transport for London this morning either.

&lt;noframe&gt;Twitter: Jane Hill - Why is it, the worse the weather, the more officious, patronising and repetitive become announcers on London Underground? 1/2&lt;/noframe&gt;

10.11 Journalists are in a sense always snowed under... with press releases from keen PRs... in this case happy to relate how the British public are coping with the snow by booking skiing holidays.

Hotels.com have been in touch to say that rather than fleeing the Big Freeze, Brits are embracing the expected snow with searches to European ski resorts dramatically up on last year’s figures.

Searches for Les Deux Alpes, France are up 243%, those to Tignes, France up 199% and Fort William Glencoe in Scotland up 150%.

10.08 The national sense of humour never fails, even when we're snowed in. This tweet from @elizabday shows typically British resolve (and cynicism).

10.06 British Airways has cancelled more than 60 of its flights but said this figure was likely to change during the day.

10.02 The snow has really hit London now, potentially affecting the millions of commuters who were hoping to finish the week on time and get home to start the weekend. We will bring you the latest on this as we get it. Telegraph Towers is in the midst of the snow, and the capital, so we are well placed to help you.

08.55 There have been reports of minor accidents with vehicles skidding off country roads which have not been salted or gritted. In other areas trees have fallen down and blocked

In Hampshire, motorists on the M3 near the junction with the M27 were suffering delays after a car crashed into the central reservation.

Five cars collided on the A31 at Ringwood but no-one was injured, according to police. Traffic was also building up on the Isle of Wight after two lorries jack-knifed, one in Newport and the other in Norton.

A 15-mile stretch of one of the main roads through Dorset, the A35, has been closed after a lorry crashed in the snow this morning.

Police sealed off the road in both directions between the Monkeys Jump roundabout in Dorchester and the Mitsubishi roundabout in Bridport.

In Devon, the A303 at Upottery has been closed eastbound between the A30 junction in and Southfields roundabout in Donyatt because of a serious accident.It's not yet know how many people have been injured.

Devon County Council has reported gritters working on the A39 and A361 during the early hours with tractors with ploughs out in Okehampton.

Metcombe Lane at Tipton St John to West Hill is closed due to a fallen tree. The A35 is closed in both directions between Honiton and Charmouth because of a jack-knifed lorry. And the A361 at Rackenford is closed after another lorry jack-knifed.

Devon and Cornwall Police took to Twitter to say "It's blizzard like conditions in places now and snow ploughs have been deployed on Haldon and Telegraph Hill.

"Snow conditions worst at Haldon and Telegraph Hill, Okehampton, and roads between Tavistock and Princetown and Bude - avoid if possible."

08.50 Some parents are complaining that schools may have been closed down unnecessarily.

08.35 Chaos is being reported on the rail networks this morning, with some passengers stranded as the transport system comes under severe strain.

Some train companies were running special timetables in anticipation of heavy snow today, with Channel Tunnel rail firm Eurostar axing four services between London and Brussels.

There were fewer trains and carriages in service in anticipation of further bad conditions tonight.

South West Trains cancelled some services, including those between Salisbury and Bristol Temple Meads all day, while the East Midlands, Greater Anglia and Southern companies were running amended timetables.

Two other companies - Arriva Trains Wales and CrossCountry - were affected by a broken-down train near Gloucester which led to delays to services between Gloucester and Newport in South Wales.

A five mile stretech between Severn Beach and Avonmouth is without trains for commuters heading to Bristol, this morning.

&lt;noframe&gt;Twitter: National Rail - To check if there is disruption on your route, visit &lt;a href="http://t.co/GhqXUBL7" target="_blank"&gt;http://t.co/GhqXUBL7&lt;/a&gt; &lt;a href="http://search.twitter.com/search?q=uksnow" target="_blank"&gt;#uksnow&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/noframe&gt;

Major delays on Arriva Trains Wales

Gloucester - Newport (South Wales) Delays between Gloucester and Newport (South Wales) until further notice. Read about this disruption

08.20 Snow shut roads and disrupted train travel today but the major commuter belt areas of southern England escaped the worst of the morning hazards.

Wales, the West Country, eastern England, the North East of England and Scotland were the worst-hit areas this morning. Many roads in South Wales had to close and a section of the M4 at Bridgend was shut.Wales bore the brunt of the morning disruption. The M4 was closed between junction 36 at Bridgend and junction 37 at Pyle due to snow.

A photo tweeted by @CorfeCastleInfo of the snowy conditions in Corfe, Dorset

There were hazardous driving conditions on sections of the M4 in South Wales and on the M48 near Chepstow, while the snow caused traffic tailbacks in Cardiff and Newport. Among towns where roads had to close were Rhondda and Treorchy.

In Devon a section of the A35 was closed in Honiton, while snow also caused a section of the same road to shut in Dorchester in Dorset. A section of the North Devon Link Road in Rackenford was closed because of snow and a jack-knifed lorry.

On the A30 at Okehampton in Devon one lane was closed due to an accident and snow, while hazardous road conditions were reported in the Bristol area. In northern England there were hazardous driving conditions on the A1 around Alnwick because of ice and snow. In Scotland, a section of the A821 in Stirling was closed due to snow.

With the forecast of snow reaching the London area later, many who had trouble-free journeys to work were facing the prospect of difficult trips home.

A mountain biker walks through deep snow at the Nevis Range Mountain Experience near Fort William (Picture: PA)

08.10 Hundreds of schools have been closed throughout the western part of the country today. Authorities urged parents to keep an eye on council websites and social media sites for the latest information on closures.

08.00 Heavy snow has been reported this morning throughout Somerset, Gloucestershire, Wiltshire, Devon, and South Wales.

07.50 Gemma Plumb, a forecaster for MeteoGroup, said snow had been coming in "from all directions" overnight.

We have had heavy snow showers in Suffolk, Essex, Norfolk and much of the east coast, where we have had reports of 3cm-4cm falling. A band of more persistent and heavy snow has moved up from the South West, across South West England, central and southern parts of Wales and central and southern England. The winds in the South West and Wales are strong, meaning there are blizzard conditions there."

Ms Plumb said much of the rest of England, Wales and southern Scotland had been dusted with a light covering of snow, but warned more would fall throughout the day.

She added:

Across the Midlands and southern England - including London - there will be 5cm-10cm of snow, with more on higher ground. Central and eastern Wales will get the most snow, but East Anglia could experience 1cm-4cm. It is going to be bitterly cold today, and most places aren't going to get above zero degrees, even in central London."

Empty shelves at Tesco in Swansea as panic buyers stock up due to the snow and bad weather (Picture: @DanThomm)

07.45 Travel chaos is already being reported across much of the country.

On the trains: With speed restrictions in place, Eurostar axed four trains today - the 6.50am and 2.04pm London to Brussels trains and the 8.52am and a 5.56pm Brussels to London trains.

South West Trains scrapped services between Ascot and Ash Vale, between Virginia Water and Weybridge, between Salisbury and Bristol Temple Meads and Guildford and Leatherhead.

A problem at a level crossing caused by snow affected services operated by the East Midlands Trains and Greater Anglia train company, with delays between Ely and Norwich.

On the roads, there were severe problems in South Wales, with the M4 closed between Bridgend at junction 36 and Pyle at junction 37. A number of A roads in South Wales had to be closed.

Motorists were warned of poor conditions on the M4 in Carmarthenshire, South Wales, and on the M48 in Monmouthshire and on the A48(M) near Newport, while the snow caused tailbacks in Cardiff.

There were also hazardous conditions reported on the A4136 in Brierley in Gloucestershire and also on the A4151 in Littledean.

At aiports: Heathrow airport officials warned passengers to check flight information with their airlines. Southampton, Bristol and Cardiff airports say there been no departures or landings so far this morning due to heavy snow. At least 15 flights were due out from Bristol before 8am.

Frantic scenes were reported across the West Country, Home Counties and south Wales, in what officials described as worse than peak Christmas shopping periods. With much of Britain expecting to be brought to a standstill today by a 40–hour snowstorm, shelves were left completely empty and basic items disappeared amid fears families would be left snowed in. Supermarkets reported a "frenzy" as people stampeded along the aisles, filling their trolleys with bread, milk, vegetables and other essentials, leaving stores "virtually empty". Massive queues of traffic also built up as shoppers battled for space outside stores as parking spaces became a premium.

The Highways Agency said that their gritters were out in force across most of England last night and are warning motorists to take extra care and only travel if they have to. The weather is also threatening weekend sporting events include the races at Ascot and Haydock.

Empty shelves in the Tesco store in Abedare in South Wales and (right) Lucas Smith enjoys sledging with his friends on Brecon Beacons (Pictures: Wales News Service/Ben Birchall/PA )

Age UK said that older people living in areas which are not connected to the gas grid were the “forgotten face” of fuel poverty in Britain. The cost of a tank of heating fuel has fluctuated during the past year but last month prices were running at 14 per cent higher than the previous December – and 20 per cent more than in the summer. The charity said many elderly people in rural areas are being forced to cut back on heating even in the coldest period of the year because of the cost.

Forecasters warned of major travel disruption, threats to power supplies and fears for the elderly as they predicted falls of up to 12in in some areas today and tomorrow. Higher ground will see the worst, especially in Wales and the west of England, but up to 4in will fall in other areas. Winds up to 25mph will also cause drifting, forecasters said. A red weather warning has been issued in South Wales, where up to 12in of snow and 30mph winds are forecast. Thousands of people were advised not to leave their homes, with the dangers so severe that even the fit and healthy are at risk.

07.05 Much of the country has woken up to a thick covering of snow after flakes started falling in the early hours. Heavy falls were reported through the West Country, south West and south Wales, eastern England, the North East of England and Scotland.

A gritting lorry heads down a road in the Scottish Borders (Picture: PA)

07.00 Good morning and welcome to the Telegraph's live blog of the snow amid warnings that Britain faces a 40-hour snowstorm.